Tile-press.



W. E. RIVERS.

TILE PRESS.

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TILE PRESS.`

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 22, |915. 1,21 9,778. Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.'

` Som mfgw WILLIAM E. RIVERS, OF OLD BRIDGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR 'IO OLD BRIDGE ENAMELED BRICK .AND TILE COMPANY, OF OLD BRIDGE, NEW J' ERSEY.

TILE-PRESS.

Application led March 22, 1915.

To all whom z't may concern:

Be it known that I, IViLLniM E. RIVERS, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Old Bridge, in the county of Middlesex, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tile- Presses, of which the following is a specification.

lWIy invention relates to an improvement in presses for manufacturing tiles or similar objects and more particularly to devices in which this operation is performed automatically or semi-automatically and mechanically as distinguished from the device in which the dierent steps of the operation are performed by hand.

The objects of my invention are to provide means for turning out a larger quantity of tiles in the same time, to produce a better and more regular and even quality,

to reduce the cost, and improve the product besides reducing the amount of personal attention and physical exertion required in the operation.

I-Ieretofore in devices ofthis character the platen or follower, or as I prefer to call it the pressure plate has been driven down by a screw revolved by hand, and after the operation of compressing the plastic material into the molds is completed this screw must be again revolved in the reverse direction to raise the pressure plate. The operation therefore is both slow and laborious, and because of the fact that the force applied to the screw varies both with the strength of different operators and also with the pressure applied by any operator at different times, uniformity is impossible and the quality of the output varies.

Briefly my invention consists in providing means by which the pressure plate is automatically reciprocated, at the will of the operator, means by which the operation of the whole device' may be started or stopped instantly at the will of the operator, and means for very greatly increasing the pressure that may be exerted upon the plastic material, besides increasing the speed and ease of operation.

I accomplish the objects above set forth by the means and method described hereinafteil and illustrated in the drawings forming part of this specification, in

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

serial no. 16,174.

which drawings like symbols of reference refer to similar parts throughout the respective views.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved tile press showing the pressure plate at the top of its stroke, and the driving mechanism and connecting and operating clutches.

Fig. 2 is a top view of a portion of the driving mechanism and operating clutch.

Fig. 3 is a top view of the case or mold sometimes called a die.

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a detail on larger scale of the case operating lever mechanism.

Fig. 5 is an elevation on slightly larger scale of a detail of construction showing the double acting lever for depressing the die or mold plate.

Fig. 6 is an elevation of the inside face of the cam for operating the pressure plate.

Fig. 7 is a top view showing the special form of operating clutch.

Fig. 7a is an elevation of the finger 25 of the clutch.

Fig. 7b is a top view of the linger 25.

Fig. 8 is an elevation of the hub of the gear bearing the jaws of the clutch shown in Fig.

Fig. 9 is an elevation of the rim of the clutch showing the brake.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing the counterbalance applied to the press cross head, parts being omitted.

Fig. 11 is an elevation of a modified form o-f pressure plate.

Referring now to the figures,-

1 is the bed plate.

2 is the frame of the press mounted on the bed plate 1, a shaft 3 running in bearings 4 carries the driving pulley 5 which also acts as a fly wheel and which is mounted on the sleeve 5a revolving loosely on the shaft 3; the clutch G which may be of any desirable type-has one portion (ifL secured to the sleeve 5, while the other operative portion is secured to the shaft 3. The clutch is operated by the lever 7 connected by the rod 8 (broken away) to the hand lever 9, itself secured preferably to the frame 2. The shaft 3 carries the pinion 10 which engages the gear 11 (see Fig. 2) mounted on the shaft 12 running in the bearings 13, this shaft 12 carries the pinion 14 engaging the gear 15 which is loosely mounted on the shaft 16. This shaft 16 runs in the bearings 17. The hub of the gear 15 is provided with one or more stops or jaws 18 (see Figs. 1, 2, 7 and 8) projecting from the hub face, which l usually make detachable in order that they may be replaced it injured, (as shown in dotted lines Figs. 7 and 8) a loose collar 19 keeps the aws from contact with the opposing face of the clutch 20 which is keyed or otherwise secured to the shaft 16. This clutch 20 is provided with a flange 21 which is engaged by a brake 22 which depends from and is adjustably secured to the arm 28, the adjustment may be affected by the screw and lock nut 24.

Referring now to Fig. 7 the finger 25 is seated in a slot in the periphery of the clutch 20 and tends to be kept pushed out into engagement with one of the jaws 18 on the. face of the hub of the gear 15 by means of the spring 26; when the finger 25 does so engage the aws 18 the motion of the gear 15 is transmitted to the shaft 16 by means of the finger 25 and the clutch body 20 which is secured to said shaft 16.

The head of the finger 25 projects above the periphery of the clutch 2O and has a portion of its face near the fiange 21 beveled off as at 27. Mounted in the head 28 of the frame carrying the center bearing 13 (see Fig. 2) is a trip lever 29 which normally `rests on the periphery of the clutch body 2O and bears against the face of the flange 21. The end of this trip lever 29 is beveled at 8O so as to provide a chisel edge which is adapted to engage the correspondingly beveled head of the finger 25 as it revolves with th-e clutch body 20 when the clutch is connected. When this engagement occurs, the finger 25 is retracted or forced against the pressure of the spring 26 out of engagement with the jaws 18 and thus disconnects the clutch 2O from the gear hub 15 which continues to revolve loosely on the shaft 16, while the clutch body 20 being checked by the brake 22 stops the motion of the shaft 16, and thus the operation of the press.

The trip lever 29 is moved out of engagement with the finger 25 at the will of the operator by means of the rods and levers 31-32 83 connected to the operating lever 84. j

It will be understood that normally the trip lever 29 keeps the linger 25 out of engagement with the jaws 18 until 29 is raised by the operator by means of the lever 84. That is to say the clutch is normally open or inoperative and is made operative for each compression.

The shaft 16 has mounted upon it the cams (see also Fig. 10) these cams are prefer-V ably heavy disks which act partially as fly wheels,-they are provided with the grooves 0r races 36 eccentric to the shaft 16 and cut in the inner faces; the plates 37--37u are detachably secured in the cams in such way that they project slightly into the groove or race for a purpose hereafter described. 0ppcsite the plates S7-87a are recesses in the cam disks to maintain the width of the grooves at these points. It will be understood that the cams might be constructed with solid projections corresponding to the detachable plates 37-37,--but I prefer the latter since they' can be easily replaced when worn.

The cross head 88 is provided at each end preferably with a roller projecting into the races or grooves 36 in the cam disks 85, and adapted to follow in said races as the cams revolve.

The cross head 88 is also preferably provided with cross head blocks 89 which slide between the guides 40,-of which 1 prefer to provide two though one may in some instances suliice. l

Near each end of the crosshead 38 is secured a rod 41, sliding in a guide 42 secured to or forming av part of the press top 48. The upper ends of these rods 41 are connected to the cross head 44 in such a way that the cross head may be adjusted relative to the press top 48.

I prefer to do this by means of nuts 45 engaging the threaded ends of the rods 41. l

rllhe cross head 44 is also provided with bearing surfaces 46 which slide on the guides 47.

Referring now to Fig. 10-one end of a connecting rod 48 is attached to the lug 49 on the cross head 38 and the other end is ati ta-ched to a leve1 50 pivoted in a bearing or fulcrum 51, on the other end of the lever 50 is a counter weight 51L adapted to raise or assist in raising the cross heads 88 and 44, after they have been depressed by the action of the cams 35.

52 is a lever keyed to the rock shaft 53 which is supported in the bearings 54.

The rock shaft 58 has keyed on it the lever 55-551 see Fig. 4 the arm 55 of which enters a slot in the rod 56 by which when the lever 52 is depressed the rod 56 will be raised, the arm 55a carries a screw tted with lock nuts for adjustment, which screw abuts on a stop 55b by which the motion of the lever 55-55a and consequently that of the rod 56 and its attachments is limited.

Another lever 57 mounted on rock shaft 58 in the bearings 59 (see also Fig. 5) is connected by the link 60 to the lever' 61, keyed to the rock shaft 58; when the lever 57 is depressed the rod 56 is also depressed. The rod 56 carries at its upper end the yoke 62 to each end of which is attached a rod 63 moving in the guides 64. To the upper ends of these rods 63 is secured a case 65 (see Fig. 3) which will be described more at length hereafter; this case may be adjusted relal C1 l" tive to the plunger plate 66, and to the cross head 62 by m-eans of lock nuts either at the top as at 67 or bottom as at 68.

66 is a plunger plate carrying the plunger-or plunger-s where a plurality of tiles are to be made at each impression-in the latter instance there is one plunger for each aperture in the case.

This case 65, as has been said, .is attached to the rods 63 and is movable up and down to a limited extent, depending upon the adjustment relative to the cross head 62 and therefore to the plunger' plate 66, and also depending on the adjustment of the lever 55a. The case 65 is moved by means of the foot levers 52--57 and the intermediate mechanism already explained g-when elevated the plungers form the bottoms of the molds.

The cross head 44 is preferably formed with a cylinder 69 in which is a piston not shown. The screw 71rlimits the movement downward of this piston, and also prevents the revolution of the piston around its axis. The piston rod 72 preferably has secured to its lower end the weight 78 to which is secured the pressure plate 74. The'object of the weight 73 is to draw down the piston to the bottom of the cylinder 69 after each impression as will be explained in the descrip-` tion of the operation of the whole device. I sometimes omit the weight 7 3 and substitute for it a spring or its equivalent in the cylinder above the piston.

I also sometimes provide the pressure plate with a plunger or plungers adapted to enter the aperture or apertures in the case 65 (see Fig, ll) in which event I provide the pressure plate with the guards or flanges 7 5 for a reason hereinafter explained.

The operation of my improved apparatus is as follows.

The operator by means of the lever 9 throws in the clutch 6-6a, by which the motion of the driving pulley 5 is transmitted to the shaft 3 and through the intermediate gears and shafting to the gear l5.

The finger 25 of the clutch 20 being normally out of engagement with the jaws 18 on the gear l-the press proper is at rest.

The operator by means of the foot lever 52 raises the case 65, the apertures or molds in the case are then filled with clay dust in the usual manner; the lever 34 is thrown over which raises the trip lever 29, allowing the linger 25 to engage the jaws 1S on the revolving gear l5, thus the shaft 16 is revolved the cams depress the cross heads 38 and 44 and the pressure plate 74 enough to initially compress the clay dust in the apertures of the case on top of the plungers. The piston in the cylinder 69 cushions this compression in the early stages of the operation.

This compression is accomplished in two stages,-the first stage results in the compacting or hardening of the upper surface and portions of the dust inclosed in the mold or case 65, that is to say at and near the point of impact of the pressure plate 74; but owing` to the well known action of dust when under pressure in an inclosed space, the lower portions remain relatively uncompressed and loose. Since it is desirable that the whole tile shall be compact and as nearly as possible equally hard, and in any event that the lower face or portion of the tile shall be approximately as hard as the upper face or portion, I have found it necessary to produce a relative movement of the lower plunger plate 66 against the lower portions of the inclosed dust in the ease or mold 65 which may be considered the second stage; but since 66 is preferably fixed and immovable on the table 43, I prefer to accomplish this by a movement of the case or mold 65 relative to the plunger plate 66, attained as follows:

The pressure plate 74 may be made so that it first enters to a. certain extent the apertures of the case 65 (see Figs. 3 and 1l) thus compressing the upper portion of the dust in the apertures as already stated, the other portions of the plate 74 then engage the case 65 itself and force the latter down as the plate 74 moves relative to the plunger plate 66. Thus the dust in the apertures of 65, the case 65 itself and the pressure plate 74 all move together relative to the plunger plate 66 and the eect is therefore the same as though the plate 66 moved against the dust in the case 65; by this means the bottom of the tile and the lower layers or portions of the dust are subjected to a direct impact by the plunger plate 66 with a resultant compacting and hardening of those lower portions and especially the bottom face. The interior or central portions being perhaps less compact which is not important.

The result of my device therefore is a double impact applied successively at top and bottom of the dust, or a reversal of the point of application of pressure as applied to the dust.

It is evident that the amount of movement of the plungers either at top oribottom relative to the case determines the relative hardness or compaetness of the upper or lower portions of the dust, that is to say Aif the pressure plate 74 exerts its pressure upon the dust, to a greater' degree or extent before the case 65 is moved relative to the plunger plate 66, then the upper portion of the resulting tile will be more compact and harder than the lower; while on the other hand if the case 65 is moved relative to the plunger plate 66 before the pressure plate 74 has entered the aperture in 65 to any great extent,-then the lower portions of the dust will receive the greatest pressure and `vill consequently be the hardest and mest compact. y varying the thickness of the strips which strips are preferably made of successive layers of leather or other suitable material which may be easily increased or diminished as the occasion requires, (see Fig. 11) or by varying the depth of the plungers on Til I am able to control the relative hardness and compactness of the upper and lower faces of the tile.

llVithout the relative movement of the case as described, the resulting tile would be hard on the top and relatively soft on the bottom and the edges friable and imperfeet; and before the use of this improve ment there has been a great loss after the final firing-amounting in some instances to from 15 '70 to 25 and since the adoption of this improvement the loss has been reduced to about 3% besides resulting in a better and more homogeneous tile.

After the compression has been effected, .the plates 537-57 (Fig. 6) acting upon the rollers on the ends of the cross head 38 produce a final percussive effect on the compressed clay dust. The cams 35 continuing to revolve raise the cross heads 38-1-1 and the pressure on the pressure plate is gradually relaxed, the Weight 73 or the spring in the cylinder 69 hoivever keeping the plungers in the molds until the slight play of the piston in the cylinder is taken up when the pressure plate is entirely raised from the case 65, and the compressed tiles in its apertures.

It will be understood that the adjustment of the cross head del on the rods al partially determines the pressure exerted on the clay and also the thickness of the tile when finally compressed.

The gear 15 and clutch 2O having now completed one revolution,-tlie beveled head 27 of the finger 25 engages the beveled chisel edge 30 of the trip lever 29 and is retracted against the spring 26 and out of engagement with the jaws 1S of the gear 15, the brake noiv brings the clutch body 20 to rest and with it the shaft 16 and the cams 35.

After the pressure plate has been raised as above describe l,the foot lever 57 is de pressed and the case G5 is further lowered relative to the plungers on the plunger bed, and until the tops of the plungers are flush with the top of the case,-the tiles are then pushed olf the top of the case and plungers in the usual manner, and the operation is repeated.

It Will be understood that the lever 3e Was immediately returned to its original position, after having operated the trip lever 29; either automatically as by a spring 76 or manually by the operator. By this periodic connection and disconnection of the operating mechanism with the press proper at the will of the operator ample time is pro vided for the various steps of the process of filling the molds, removing the compressed tiles or doing any other act that may be necessary, besides making the Whole operation safe and entirely under the control of the operator.

It would of course be possible to make the whole operation continuous and automatic, by leaving the clutch 20 normally connected to the gear 15, and adapting it to be disconnected at the Will of the operator.

It will be understood that the arrangement and forms of the various component parts of my improved apparatus are What I consider prefe1able,-but I do not limit myself to any particular form proportion or arrangement of parts or to any particular design of clutch or type of gears or levers or other parts,as they may be varied or equivalents substituted Without departing from my invention. Where I have used the Word manually I of course mean by that, means directly operated and controlled by the operator as distinguished from automatically operated devices.

But what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is.

1. In a tile press, a plunger plate; a pressure plate adapted to reciprocate relative to the plunger plate; a case having a plurality of mold cavities therein and adapted to be moved toward the plunger plate by engage ment with the pressure plate; said pressure plate having sucient area to cover the case; means for reversing the movement of the case independently of the Withdrawal ofthe pressure plate; and means for automatically and intermittently operating the pressure plate.

2. In a tile press, a plunger plate; a pressure plate; a case having a plurality of mold cavities therein, and adapted to be moved toward the plunger plate by engagement with the pressure plate; and means for a case adapted to be engaged and moved by the compressing element; and means for adding a plurality of percussive increments to the movement of the compressing element.

5. In a tile press, a pressure plate; a plunger plate; a case adaptedto be engaged by the pressure plate and moved thereby t0- Ward the plunger plate; means for reversing the movement of the case; cams for reciprocating the pressure plate relative to the Case and plunger plate; and means for intermittently operating the Cams.

6. In a tile press, a cam shaft and cams operating a pressure plate; a case adapted to be engaged and moved by the pressure plate; a plunger plate; means for reversing the movement of the ease independently of the movement of the pressure plate; and means for adding a plurality of percussive increments to the motion of the pressure plate.

7. In a tile press, the combination of a frame carrying a table; a shaft mounted in said frame and carrying cams; a cross head engaging said cams; a cross head connected to the rst mentioned cross head carrying a pressure plate; a plunger' plate mounted on the table; a oase adapted to be moved toward the plunger plate by engagement With the pressure plate and moved away from the plunger plate by means of foot levers; and means for intermittently operating the cams.

8. In a tile press7 a pressure plate; a plunger plate; a case adapted to be moved by the pressure plate; means for adding a plurality of pereussive increments to the movement of the pressure plate; and means for reversing the movement of the ease independently oi' the movement of the pressure plate.

WILLIAM E. RIVERS.

Witnesses:

JOHN W. LOVELAND, IRENE MANNING.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

